Australians on Income Support Rise by 2 Million as Mental Health Claims Surge

The number of people accessing income support has risen by two million over 10 years, with mental health conditions driving the growth.

People are seen lining up at the welfare service Centrelink in Melbourne, Australia, on March 23, 2020. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The number of Australians accessing some form of income support because they are unable to work due to illness or injury has risen by two million over the past decade, according to new research commissioned by the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI).

Last year, 8.5 million Australians accessed some form of support, receiving a combined $78.9 billion in payments.